The present invention relates generally to battery cell housing, and more particularly but not exclusively, to a clamshell cell housing for a battery module including integrated cooling channels.
Many high-performance energy storage solutions now employ series-connected modules that, in turn, are series and parallel combinations of individual battery cells. Battery packs used with electric vehicles store large amounts of energy in a small space, producing high energy densities. The energy is converted into mechanical energy by the power train to move the vehicle, among other uses.
Current battery modules include cell housings (clamshells) as well as additional separate heat conductive components to enable cooling of the battery cells. The heat transfer components are also electrically conductive and hereby have to be electrically insulated from the cells with additional electrical insulation materials.
Conventional modules, having separate components for both mechanical and thermal-management roles limit use of higher energy densities in battery modules because of the inherent limitations in scaling the existing designs. Conventional systems have limited cooling efficiencies arising from limited contact areas of cooling fluid and the battery cells, and because coolant pathways are restricted. Restrictions and complications arise because cooling components are added into spaces between battery cells in the mechanical mount, and it is undesirable to add weight, increase size, or complexities in battery module design. These aspects also make manufacture of the module assembly very difficult. Existing technologies provide for a relatively large number of contact resistances in the thermal pathway of cooling a battery cell: fluid, cooling tube, dielectric laminate, thermal-interface-material (TIM) and the battery cell.
What is needed is a battery housing that incorporates mechanical and thermal-management.